The Backup Girlfriend (Grove Valley High #2) - Emma Doherty Page 0,49

countdown clock that tells us there’s still five minutes left. I see out of the corner of my eye that she’s turned to face me, and I’m sure she’s just bracing herself to finally bring up what I said earlier, to tell me off about the way I spoke to Livy or just generally tell me I need to sort my life out and stop being so hung up on someone who has clearly moved on, but she surprises me. “So, yeah, Chase is hot and all—you know I’ve always thought that, right?”

Know it? She used to flirt with him constantly. Most of the time I think she was just doing it to wind me up, but I have no doubt that Sophie always thought Chase was hot.

She’s paused and looks like she’s expecting a reaction, so I nod my head.

“But have you ever watched a movie with him?”

I don’t say anything. My heartbeat feels like it’s still hammering in my chest. I feel like it has been ever since my meltdown.

“Like does he have to talk the whole way through and constantly give spoilers?”

I can’t help it. I smile, a genuine one this time. Sophie Steele manages to make me smile when only an hour ago I thought that was impossible.

“I mean it’s annoying as fuck. Am I right?”

“Yeah. That is kind of annoying.”

“He ruined the Avengers movie for me.” She winks at me. “I mean, who needs that in their life, right?”

Yeah, Sophie Steele isn’t that bad after all.

She’s definitely one of the good ones.

14

When I get to school early the next morning, ready to try to find a bunch of tables to sell from, Sasha and Jennifer are already there waiting for me, their contributions to my bake sale in their hands.

Their smiles and enthusiasm are enough to ease some of the tension I feel about the success of this morning—it’s going to be really embarrassing if I don’t sell out—and their jaws drop when they see the sheer amount of goodies I have in my car. Trays upon trays of cookies, caramel slices, brownies, muffins, cheesecake, almond slices—so much stuff that I don’t even know how I’m going to carry all of it.

“Oh my god, Abigail! This is amazing,” Sasha exclaims.

“I just hope it sells,” I mutter.

They help me stack them up, being careful not to squash anything, and we cut across the parking lot, me cursing myself for not thinking about exactly where would be best to set up before now. I’ll probably waste a bunch of time trying to track stuff down and miss the first crowd of students coming into school.

“Dammit.”

I forgot the coffees I bought for Sophie and Livy on the way into school today—not that that in any way makes up for my behavior yesterday and my meltdown when Livy’s only been nice to me, but I thought it was the very least I could do, and I’ve left them in the car. I don’t even know how I’m going to give them to them as I’ll be busy manning the bake sale, but maybe they’ll walk past or I can ask Sasha to get them to them.

I place what I’m carrying in Sasha and Jennifer’s already full arms and rush back to my car, aware I’m wasting yet more time but knowing I want to do this for them. I grab the cups then rush back across the lot, taking the left that leads to the main entrance.

And then stop dead at what I see.

Sophie and Livy are standing in front of a bunch of tables they’ve grouped together, accepting the trays of goodies from Sasha and Jennifer. They’ve put up a big sign that says ‘Bake Sale’ on one of the tables, there are what look like takeout boxes for people who maybe want more than one thing and napkins to serve the goodies with, and there are already a bunch of students (presumably ones who have come in early for clubs) who are hovering nearby.

I bite down on my lip to stop me crying right here and now.

I’ve gotten so damn emotional.

But this is nice. Really, really nice, and I don’t deserve it.

I slowly make my way over to them, my eyes darting around as Sasha and Jennifer help Livy and Sophie arrange the food.

Sophie looks up as I approach. “About time.”

I clear my throat. “I didn’t know you would be here.”

Livy flashes Sophie a nervous look, but Sophie just smirks at me. “You didn’t think we were